Clay in the Hands

This evening, we will begin a Bible study working through the letter of 1 Peter.  So this morning, I decided to look back over the first 12 verses of chapter 1.  We most likely won’t get through it all in one sitting.  In fact, we could spend several sessions just giving a background of the man Peter.  But as I sit with my coffee, I get to verse 3 and I pause, letting the idea of a living hope surround me like the smell of the brewing coffee coming from behind the counter.

I sip my coffee and watch people come in and go out of Starbucks, and I wonder . . .

Does that guy have a living hope?  Does the young lady in scrubs, grabbing a coffee before heading to the hospital have a hope that is alive and will drive her day?  Do the two DPS troopers sitting at the table next to me know that even in the midst of all the bad things they will see today, God is bigger than the evil of this world and that fact offers hope?

Peter’s words in verse 3 say: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  In his great mercy, he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead . . .”  A living hope.

The Reformation Study Bible defines hope this way: In the Bible, hope is not uncertainty or wishful thinking, but a confident expectation of future blessing based on facts and promises.  I find this understanding of hope extremely meaningful.  Hope is not some fanciful wish that my life will somehow become perfect – no struggles, no stress.  It is not a childish belief that all my problems will be magically removed.

Rather it is a “confident expectation” that God is really who God claims to be and that God will hold true to the promises of his word.  It is not a wish or half-hearted belief that God might be God and I am going to hedge my bets and put a little trust in God just in case scripture is true.  Hope is knowing God is in control and God has a plan – and not just any plan but a plan that includes a meaningful life for you.  Jesus does not promise a life without problems but he does promise a life of fulfillment when we truly follow him on a daily basis (John 10:10).

I don’t know about you, but that is the kind of hope I want – a confident expectation that God is who God says he is.  A hope that truly transforms my attitude and drives my actions each and every day.

Is that the hope you have?  I wonder . . .